User:Vaxorcist
Some facts about me:
I once was a VMS System Administrator from VMS V5.0 to V6.2.
When I left my admin job (I had to, sadly) I could take three little VAXen with me as a souvenir, a MicroVAX II and two VAXstation 2000s.
That's how my personal story of the "VAXorcist" began ...
Since then I'm collecting DEC Hardware, Software, and Manuals, especially (Micro)VAX and VMS.
A couple of years ago I was lucky to find all VMS V3.x versions on a company's ftp server. They are no longer there, so it was a good idea to make some personal "backup".
A little later I was offered a set of VMS V4.x manuals for very little money.
When I collected the manuals from the previous owner I found out that a nearly complete set of VMS V3 manuals was included as well, lucky me!
I did not buy a set of VMS V2.x manuals from abroad, but I could persuade the owner to scan all manuals prior to sale.
I retouched all scans, created pdfs and OCRd them and added TOCs as pdf bookmarks.
It was a very special day for me when then first "classic" VAX simh simulator for the VAX-11/780 was available. Finally I could try out my "old" (or rather "ancient") VMS versions!
Later some VMS versions V1 and V2 () found their way to me.
It's still a long way to go, especially a lot of "Layered Software" is still missing, and VMS V2 software is still a "problem child".
Last but not least it was my idea to develop the DEC DMC11 DDCMP network interface in simh.
I did not do the programming, but I motivated a nice English programmer to do it, and I did the testing together with him.
Later Mark Pizzolato took the project over and maintains it up to now (besides a huge lot of other simh enhancements).
Thank you Mark!
Another thank you to Matt Burke who wrote several other VAX simh simulators!
Please, if you've got old VMS software to contribute, please let me know.
I'll add a list of the most wanted items later.
The VAXorcist
P.S. Use my pseudonym with the big search engines' communication service if you want to get in touch with me. Sorry for the little riddle - just want to keep the bots out ...
